Sabah firm to pioneer geo-thermal power generation

Tawau Green Energy Sdn Bhd (TGE), a locally incorporated company, is set to pioneer electricity generation from geo-thermal sources, a renewable energy option found in Sabah.

TGE is developing a 30MW power plant, located near Tawau, at a total cost of almost RM400 million and utilising existing geothermal energy resources at the site.

In welcoming the project, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) managing director Baharin Din said the initiative, would not only help Sabah in diversifying its sources of energy and generation mix but also indirectly reduce dependency on power generated from the burning of non-renewal fossil fuel.

“This in turn would aid environmental conservation in the state,” he said in his remarks at the signing of the Renewable Energy Power Purchase Agreement between SESB and TGE in Kota Kinabalu today.

Baharin signed on behalf of SESB while TGE was represented by its project director, Andrew SR Amaladoss.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Masidi Manjun.

Baharin said the geo-thermal generation project in Tawau would be assimilated into SESB’s grid, utilising the 132kV line into Tawau and Kalumpang PMU.

He said the addition of the 30MW into the existing grid system would strengthen the current installed capacity for the district (Tawau), which has now reached 123.5MW.

“We hope the cooperation sealed today will be further strengthened in time, to ensure the surrounding community enjoys quality and stable electricity supply, while providing positive economic returns for the people in Tawau and Sabah as a whole,” he added.

Meanwhile, Masidi congratulated both TGE and SESB for their efforts in the growth of renewable energy in Sabah.

He said the geothermal plant was a form of renewable energy which did not require fuel burning to produce heat or electricity.

“The good thing about the geothermal plant is that it emits very little carbon dioxide and no nitrogen dioxide, with only very low amounts of sulphur dioxide,” Masidi added.